Gardai have made 177 arrests in a crackdown on “aggressive” or “inappropriate begging” in Dublin city in the past 2 months. The Dublin Chamber of Commerce are jubliant, boasting that begging has dropped tenfold as a result of the crackdown, meanwhile no charges have been brought nor even any serious garda investigation concluded into the corrupt awarding of a mobile phone licence to Denis O’Brien by Michael Lowry.

In terms of damage to Irish society someone begging too near an ATM or near a shop front versus the various white collar crimes committed over the last twenty years it is plain which comes out on top. People are quite cynical when asked if they expect any justice as a result of the level of criminality exposed by the Moriarty Tribunal, but we do know that begging outside the law will result in prompt action by the Garda, prosecution and possible imprisonment.